The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-10-15
A woMAx's RIGHTS yrEw or VICTORIA.


woMAN's RIGHTS yIEw OF VICTORIA.
In considering what the Queen OF Eng
land has done specifically for her own
scx, there " nothing 10 he said OF her by
MS In the way Of gratitude and praise. She
has lived in the century that, rs Victor
Hugo has well said, belongs prominently
30 woman, the century in which Women
have asserted themselves ~ never before,
and achieved successes in different tie
partmcnts of Thought and action. hitherto
for them deemed impossible. Although ]
do not expect much Of Il Queen born and
educated In an abnormal condition, with
inflated ideas NJ her own consequence ~
compared with the rest Of mankind, yet ]
do feel that, Notwithstanding all the die
advantages 81 her position, she, rs an ordi-
narily intelligent woman, might have cN-
ertcd some influence toward the elevation
of her sex. None Of the great movements
for the education and Acknowledgement Of
one-half Of her subjects has Queen Victoria
ever helped with word or deed. In the
prolonged struggles a. gain admit
lance for women into the ins'i-
tutions Of learning. no encourage
ment or sympathy ever came from the
throne. In fact, Victoria was hostile, nj
least in the beginning, 10 the admission Of
women in the medical profession. She
was the flint English Queen who allowed
n man to o%iiciatc ut her ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
Until then IL had always been the custom
on such occasions Ia employ midwiycs. IL
is a we'll known fact that the exclusion 81
women from the International medical
congress, held in London In 1881, was
largely due 20 Sir VIM. Jcnncr, physician
in ordinary 10 the Queen. However, alter
the battle was fought and won and the
English women had secured ia Switzerland
and France the medical education denied
. them In their own country and began Ia
practice successfully the healing art, then
the Queen, learning what q great blessing
women doctors were in India. manifested
nj last some interest IN that movement.
On the eyeoi Miss Biclby' srcccnt departure
for Calcutta, the Queen, after receiving
n broad hint, gave this noble physician
an audience, and presented her with
a locket. A little jewel Is, perhaps,
we'll enough ~ n token oi friendship
from one M 10 another, but i would
have been more in keeping with her Dig
nifty and well lined purse I the mighty
Empress OF India had offered Miss Biclby
the means 10 establish n womnn's medical
school in the far east. AZ yet her majesty
has manifested no special interest In tht
institutions Of learning that have been es'
tablishcd In England for the higher educn.
ton Of women. She has not even endowed
n single chair nj Girton or Holloway. A,
On authorCss, Victoria has never uttered
one soul-inspiring sentiment Tor largcl
liberty 30 woman. In the minor maiten
of fashion she still compcls women Of del
.-- ..l....aN a. N.fau AZ haN nRftN
with bare arms and shoulders, with III,
'iuss and feathers" Of a by-gone licentiou
ace. when women were valued for thei
physical charms alone.
Amin, on the mOmentous question OF tn
extension Of the suffrage 10 women, thl
Ouecn has not only taken n negative posi-
tion: she has been positively hostile 10 tn
propoeed reform. She has shown no inter
est IN the debates on this subject that hav
bccn going on In Parliament during th
past twenty years, and when her own gov
ernment. In 1882, brought In a bill cnlarp
ING the properly rights OF women, Oh
Queen uttered no word OF approval. But
considering ~hcr-anccstry, we should No
nsk too much Of Queen Victoria. Hcr lin
was never remarkable for its far sccin
st~atcsmanship, for exceptional intelligence
moral urobity or spiritual insight. II hi
49, niially n beef eating, beer drin'
iivNv> lure loving dynasty. without pO
e'ug even fine physical proportion
grace or beauty, 10 that even the Hohei
yyollerns hcsitatcd when IL was propose
ihat the crown prince should wed u
Princes Victoria. The position OF the II
plish Queen on the woman question }
therefore, what might have been expeciC
from a scion Of the house Of Hanover.
EgzApErn CADY STANTON.
Paris, September "a, 1887.
80. uatVaTy'a ABILITY,